In a chilling display of justice, authorities in eastern Afghanistan have carried out the execution of a convicted murderer by gunfire in a public sports stadium. This marks the sixth public execution since the Taliban reclaimed power.
The condemned man met his fate at the hands of a member of the victim’s family, all witnessed by a crowd of thousands gathered in Gardez, Paktia province’s capital, as reported by a journalist on the scene.
The evening leading up to the execution, the governor’s office made a social media appeal, urging officials and locals to “attend this event.” This act serves to underline the Taliban’s focus on public displays of retribution.
A statement from Afghanistan’s Supreme Court pointedly expressed, “A murderer was sentenced to retaliation punishment.” The condemned individual had been incarcerated since before the Taliban’s resurgence for the murder of another person, undergoing a thorough examination by three military courts.
The victim’s family had the option to delay the execution but ultimately opted against it, further solidifying their choice according to the court’s announcement.
Among the onlookers were notable high-ranking officials, including the Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, the leader of the Haqqani network—a group designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, infamous for its brutal methods.
“An eye for an eye,” resonates deeply within Afghanistan as principles of justice in this context.
During the Taliban’s initial reign from 1996 to 2001, public executions were not uncommon; however, reports claim that only a few have occurred since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. In 2022, Mr. Akhundzada placed a mandate on judges to implement a stringent interpretation of Islamic law, including the brutal “eye for an eye” principle known as qisas, which ostensibly allows for capital punishment in cases of murder.
Prior to the Taliban’s takeover, public executions were a rare occurrence under the foreign-supported government that was ultimately overthrown. Just recently, three public executions were conducted within a week’s time in February. The first saw two men executed before a sizable crowd in Ghazni, followed by another in the northern province of Jowzjan shortly thereafter.
The Taliban’s approach has also embraced corporal punishments, primarily flogging, for various offenses, including theft, adultery, and alcohol consumption. This harsh legal framework is central to the Taliban’s rigid ideology, emerging from the tumult of the civil war that followed the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1989.
One striking image that continues to haunt many is from 1999 when a woman, clad in a burqa, was executed in a Kabul stadium, accused of her husband’s murder—a somber reminder of the brutal tactics employed during the regime’s earlier days.
International bodies like the United Nations, alongside human rights organizations including Amnesty International, have condemned the Taliban’s resort to corporal punishment and capital punishment. The persistent clamor for human rights remains a stark contrast to the values interpreted and imposed by the Taliban.
In 2022, countries such as China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United States topped the list of the most frequent executors of the death penalty, according to Amnesty’s findings, showcasing a worldwide trend where the ultimate sanction is still actively employed.
The cycle of violence and retribution continues to color Afghanistan’s landscape, leaving many to wonder what the future holds—whether it will be marked by the specter of continued public executions or a shift towards a more humane approach to justice.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
